woensdag 25 april 2012

GODLING # 5: IT CAME FROM AFAR"Bring it on," Marcus Walker said with a feral grin, wiping a dropof the fluid he'd just drank from the corner of his mouth. He was inhis office, confronting three big, thug-like looking men. He knewthey'd been sent by the slumlord he'd gotten fined in court an houror so ago.One of them came running at him, swinging a baseball bat in the air.Walker grabbed the bat with the speed of a jaguar, totally surprisingthe thug, leaving him open for a good hard kick in the balls. The thugwent down with a groan.One of the others pulled a knife. Walker jumped forward with a roar,like a lion. He was on top of the thug in less then a second, punchinghim out with two lefts. He sensed the remaining thug at his back. Heheard a trigger being cocked.He disarmed the last thug with a roundhouse kick, then grabbed him bythe shirt. A solid head butt knocked him out as well.Standing over the unconscious thugs Walker felt the adrenalin ragingthrough him like a runaway train. There was only one way to let it allout... He threw his head back and roared...
*Monica Sawyer had just left professor Quentin Alexander's apartment.He was left dazed and confused. He'd just been holding the woman heloved and now she was gone again, off to hold the man she loved. He'dbeen comforting her when she was afraid something had happened to herboyfriend, sergeant Wade Hudson. Unfortunately he was intelligentenough to understand their shared hug was only that of a platonicfriend, like a brother holding a sister. He understood he wasn't manenough of for a beautiful, selfconscious woman like her.He walked over to the window, watching her hail a cab. One seemed toappear from out of nowhere. Monica had that effect sometimes. Sometimesmen seemed to suddenly materialize in front of her to please her. Butwhat was that dark, enormous shadow that suddenly shrouded the cab indarkness?Quentin leaned out of the window and looked up at the sky. At first hethought it was an enormous blimp, or a weather balloon. The way lightreflected of it, however made him realize it was made of metal, not ofpolyester and rubber. It looked like a bullet, surrounded by largeantennae. Did it represent a threat? Or was it just some newtechnological wonder designed to scan the city for trouble, or was itsome kind of GPS satellite. Whatever it may be, he felt he had toinvestigate only if to appease his curiosity.Quentin used the power granted to him by Poseidon to change into theheroic, muscled gladiator Godling. He jumped out of his window, usingthe powers of Perseus to take flight. He headed for the mysterious UFO.
*
On the bridge, inside the UFO a tall man with a long beard and longwhite hair was gazing at a large screen, depicting the heroic figureflying at it. The man wore a purple chain mail tunic, a broad metallicbelt and black knee-length boots. Behind him, working the controls ofthe strange ship, sat a dozen robots that had long arms and legs,bullet shaped heads and glowing red lights for eyes."Who is that being?" the man asked, but seemingly not expecting anyanswer from the robots. He stroked his beard. "A flying man? The datawe gathered seems to be incomplete..." He turned to face the robots."Get him aboard!"
*
On one of the dozen screens in his room Master Destiny watched Godlingfly towards the UFO. "What is that thing? It looks very interesting.It looks even more technologically advanced than anything I havecreated."A beautiful, scantily clad woman had her arms around him. "Surelythat cannot be possible, Master!"He laughed. "You do your job well, my little whore. But I cannot denywhat I see. I need to find out more about it. Woman, get me the newrecruit."The woman bowed and rushed off.
*Godling was nearing the UFO very closely. It seemed to be some sort ofspaceship. Was an actual alien visiting New Troy? There was reallyactually life on other planets? It sounded incredible, but aftermeeting the Greek Gods, fighting superpowered villains and gainingamazing powers of his own, it seemed not so impossible an idea.>>From one of the antennae on the ship a purple energy beam was emitted.It enveloped Godling, trapping him in a cocoon of light.He tried to fly out of it, but could not penetrate the beam that seemedto be more tangible than light could be. He understood it was some kindof force field. More and more he got the idea he was caught in somesci-fi movie. He punched the cocoon, but wasn't able to punchthrough. It didn't hurt, didn't make any sound, not like punching abrick wall but the effect was the same. He didn't even dent it.He found out he could stand inside the cocoon, the light like solidground. This gave him the possibility to switch to another power thanflight. He used the strength of Heracles to try and punch through. Noeffect.The beam pulled him closer and closer to the UFO. Finally he decided tostop fighting it. He wanted to investigate the ship and it seemed hewas going to get his chance.A hatch in the ship opened. The beam pulled Godling inside.He ended up in a long corridor. The walls were made out of steel.Several power cables hung from the ceiling. Two robots walked towardshim. This was getting more incredible by the second."Please come with us,'' one of the robots said."Is this the part where I ask you to take me to your leader?"Godling joked. He had to be really nervous. Usually he wasn't much ofa joker."Please come with us,'' the robot repeated and grabbed Godling bythe arm. The hero contemplated shaking loose the metallic hand for amoment but decided to let his curiosity lead him and followed therobot.They led him to the bridge of the ship. A room filled with more robots,with computers, many screens and the captain of the ship."Greetings, Earthling," the white-bearded captain said."Hello," Godling said. "I am called Godling. What is yourname?""I am captain Wrakk, Galactic Raider and champion of the planetBraxx.""I'm not sure if I'm pleased to meet you. I don't particularlylike getting hauled into a spaceship like that.""You should be pleased. You intrigued me, therefore you will have thechance to tell your loved ones they will not have much longer tolive."Godling raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?""I will destroy Earth but I offer you the chance to say goodbye toyour loved ones and explain to the world why I will destroy them.""What? You're crazy! What are you talking about?""Your planet is very rapidly approaching the means for lightspeedtravel. That will entail you will have the possibility to reach myplanet. The history of your planet tells me there is a very big chanceyou will try to conquer it. I cannot accept that. Therefore I willdestroy you all.""But that's crazy! You can't just destroy an entire planetbecause we might do you harm in the future!''"Are you so sure about that? I have studied your history. Imaginehaving the chance to prevent the Nazi's from invading Europe beforethey hatched their plans.""Even if I'd agree that would be a good plan, then we would betalking about the actual invaders. If you destroy the entire Earth youwill surely not only kill potential invaders but a lot of innocents aswell."Wrakk shrugged. "I am a true patriot. My own people will have to comefirst."Godling shook his fist at the captain. "You're a fascist! That'swhat you are.''"Call me what you like. I know my duty and will fulfill it.""How do you think you could destroy an entire planet anyway? No onehas that kind of power!"Wrakk laughed. "I've heard that being said on other planets aswell. Minutes later their planet was nothing but dust in space.""Even if you have that power, I will never allow you to use it!"Wrakk's voice was like ice. "You don't have the power to dothat.""We'll see about that," Godling said and charged at the captain.Immediately the robots grabbed him, piling on top of him.Godling coiled his muscles and using the strength of Heracles shookthem off him."See? Now it's your turn to taste my strength!" Godling wonderedfor a brief moment where he got those pompous speeches from sometimes.It probably was a result of reading to many books about mythology.He charged Wrakk again.Wrakk held up a hand and suddenly Godling seemed to walk into aninvisible wall. Wrakk punched air, but still Godling felt it in hisstomach, like being hit by a pile driver.Rubbing his hurting stomach he panted, "How the Hades did you dothat?"There was a smug look on Wrakk's face. "I have been geneticallychanged by my people to be their ultimate protector. One of thosechanges included outfitting me with telekinetic powers. Impressive, arethey not?""They might be, but I've been outfitted with some impressive powersof my own," Godling said and threw a lightning bolt like Zeus would.The bolt exploded harmlessly against Wrakk's invisible telekineticshield. "Nice try."Wrakk ordered his robots to hold Godling. They grabbed hold of himagain. He started to wrestle their metallic hands loose again, butbefore he could completely free himself Wrakk started to rattle offtelekinetic punches in his face and stomach. He'd never taken abeating like that, not as Godling and not as Quentin Alexander. Hesimply seemed to be totally powerless against Wrakk's attacks.After a while Wrakk stopped punishing him. He was sprawled on the cold,metallic floor, facedown, aching, hurting, defeated."I hope I have taught you there is no use to try and stop me. I amsorry I had to beat you like that, I greatly dislike violence but I amafraid sometimes it is necessary. Do not worry, the destruction ofEarth will be painless for all of you.""Go... To... Hades..." Godling managed to utter.Wrakk made a little bow to show his respect. "Such an indomitablespirit. If every Earthling is like you I truly am deeply sorry I willhave to destroy you all. Unfortunately the only thing studying yourhistory has taught me is how barbaric you all are. All you crave ispower, subjecting others to your will and conquering every new land youdiscover."Godling wanted to counter those words, tell that madman there was moreto the people of Earth than that, but he simply could not find theenergy."To show you the respect I have for you I will still allow you toleave my ship. You have 12 hours to say goodbye to your loved ones andtell your fellow Earthlings about their destruction. Use that time. Younow know that it is better to spend your time that way then to try andstop me."Wrakk raised his hand, raising Godling telekinetically. A hatch openedand he lifted the hero through it. "Farewell."Godling was outside, hanging in the sky until Wrakk broke histelekinetic contact and the hero dropped down.
*A young man with a spiky haircut in a sleeveless shirt that said'Finch', tattooed arms and pierced ears walked into MasterDestiny's lair."Welcome, boy,'' Destiny said. "I have gathered you are willingto do my bidding in lieu of the gain of the most amazing powers youhave ever dreamed of?"The young man nodded. "I want to be like those Speed Demons orsomething. I need the ultimate rush, I need to show people I am no oneto mess with. And I'll do anything for that. That's what you meantwith in lieu, right?""Yes, I did. All right. So be it." Master Destiny pointed his spearat the young man, enveloping him in a purplish glow. The boy screamedin pain. Soon Destiny would have a scout to investigate the spaceship.When the glow was gone so was the pain. The boy was down on the floor.Bat like wings protruded from his back. Slowly he got up. He watchedhis hands. They seemed more like claws.He smiled with fanglike teeth. "Kickass!"
*
Marcus Walker was sitting on the steps at this front door. He'd justthrown out the thugs that had attacked him. He watched two kids playingbaseball in the street. There was hardly any traffic so they could playunafraid of getting hit by a car. In this area the risk of getting hitby a bullet was better. Most traffic stayed out of this part of thecity.He thought about how good he'd felt cutting loose on the thugs. Whata rush it had been to feel the potion run through him, unleashing allthose animalistic powers locked in all of men. He felt ashamed ofhimself. He was a man, not some primate. He'd studied to be a lawyer,to use his mouth and brain to solve problems. Why did he often feel thebest when he'd just been using his fists? Was that the reason Godlingdid what he did? Because of the way it made him feel when he unleashedhis violence upon a criminal?A big shadow blanketed the playing children. Instinctively he felt theneed to protect them from the darkness that seemed to come over thepoor people of the city. That was why he'd returned to New Troy.Because he felt he could do something to protect the people in his oldneighborhood, not because he liked beating people up.He looked up at the sky, amazed at the source of the gigantic shadow.It appeared to be a mix between a plane and a blimp. Almost like a...space ship? And was someone falling from it?
*The cars, the pavement, the buildings came alarmingly closer and closerto Godling as he was plummeting down. He felt so weak he almostcouldn't find the power of will to channel Perseus' power offlight. Did it matter anyway? He would die along with the rest of theEarth in 12 hours anyway.But he still had something to do. He had to say goodbye to his lovedones. Not that he had to many of them. There was Monica. There was hisbrother. Well, his brother hated his guts so maybe he didn't count asa loved one. But Monica... He wasn't going to die without telling herhe loved her!With newfound resolve he channeled the power of flight and pulled upjust before he smacked right into a water tower. He set course forMonica's apartment.Time for some famous last words.
NEXT ISSUE:LAST WORDS

Over mij

I am a dutch writer, writing often in english. My special interests are crime movies and novels, rock music (I am a rock reporter for a dutch site) and comic books.
You can write me at jvdsteen@hotmail.com